The following portion of this disclosure presents a simplified summary of one or more innovations, embodiments, and/or examples found within this disclosure for at least the purpose of providing a basic understanding of the subject matter. This summary does not attempt to provide an extensive overview of any particular embodiment or example. Additionally, this summary is not intended to identify key/critical elements of an embodiment or example or to delineate the scope of the subject matter of this disclosure. Accordingly, this summary presents some innovations, embodiments, and/or examples found within this disclosure in a simplified form as a prelude to a more detailed description presented later.
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide the ability to control a camera from a wearable mechanism, such as a watch, pendant or other device with its own limited display. The camera can be in an electronic device, such as a cell phone, smart phone, web cam, dedicated camera, a tablet computing device; a portable media player; a laptop/notebook computer, personal digital assistant, touch screen, input-sensitive pad or surface or any other portable or non-portable device.
For situations where the wearable mechanism is in the picture, the display on the wearable mechanism changes before a picture or video is taken with the camera, to control the appearance of the wearable mechanism in the photo or video. For example, the display can change from a remote control display to a blank display, the display of a watch face, a decorative display or other display.
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a wearable mechanism for remotely controlling a camera with an intuitive user interface and sequencing of interface options. In one embodiment, a camera application is launched on an electronic device upon selection of a camera icon on a wearable mechanism display. If successful, the wearable mechanism display provides a preview screen and a shutter button, as well as an icon for activating a timer. Various successive displays, depending on user selection, are intuitive and provide an easy return to a home screen.
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide the ability to partially control a camera from a wearable mechanism device, such as a watch, pendant or other device with its own limited display. In one embodiment, at least one user input-output (I/O) function is performed on the camera itself, while another user input-output function is performed on the wearable mechanism device. User I/O functions include any input provided by a user, and any output provided to the user. For example, inputs include the user activating any button or soft key on a display, or any audio or gesture input. Outputs include visual displays, audio, haptic and any other feedback or output to the user. In one embodiment, the user can look at the preview on the display of the wearable mechanism device using one arm, while moving the camera held in the hand of the other arm. The hand holding the camera can also optionally activate the shutter button on the camera, eliminating the need to do this on the wearable mechanism.
To better understand the nature and advantages of various embodiments of the present invention, reference should be made to the following description and the accompanying figures. It is to be understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the scope of the present invention.